Improvement in fire-proof construction



7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. HORNBLOWER. FIRE-PROOFCONSTRUCTION.

Patented June Z0 N @ma N.PETERS. PHDTO L|TMOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

FIRE-Paco?covNsTnUcTroN. No. 178,852. Patente-a June 20,1876.

N.PETERS, PHOTGLITHQGRAPNEH, WASHINGTON, D C,

7shee1-.s-'sheets- L. HoRNBLoWER. FIRE-PROOF CONSTRUCTION;

Patented June 20 ibi'.

N. PETERS, FHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C4 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L.- HORNBLOWER. F1RE-PRooF-coNsTRUcTIoN.

Patented June 20,`

Ny PETERS. PHOTO-LxTMOGHAPHEn, WASHINGTCN. D c,

7VSheets-Sheet 5.

Patented June 2O L. HoRNBLoWE'R.' FIRE-PROOF CONSTRUCTION.

ILPETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. il'v C.

7 Sheets-#Sheet 6;

L. H'ORNBLOWER. FIRE- PROOF CONSTRUCTION.

Patented June N4 PETERS. FNOTo-LITHCGRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D C.

N'o.178,85Z.G

' 7 Sheets-Sheet 7. n L. HORNBLOWER. FIREfPRooF coNsTRUcTIoN.

Patented-June 20', 18.76'.

Fuff- MFETERS. PROY@LITNOGRAPNERl WASHINGTON. D. C.

STATS! Frio'.

A IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PROOF CONSTRUCTION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,852, dated June 20,1876; application led December 10, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LEWIS HoRNBLowER, of the city of Liverpool, county ofLancaster, England, have invented Improvements in the Construction ofFire-Proof Buildings, oi' which the following is a specification:

The object ot' my` invention is to provide walls, partitions, floors,and roofs of buildings, at once light, cheap, durable, thoroughlyreproof, and convenient for Ventilating the rooms or spaces .theyinclose.

For these purposes I employ, in combination, for walls, partitions,floors, and roofs, iron or steel, hollow earthenware, and concrete orcement. Walls, partitions, doors, and roofs are constructed of sheetiron or steel, preferably so formed as to represent olie-halt' ofahoney-comb cell cut longitudinally. These lengths of iron or steel areplaced parallel or close to oval pipes or other hollow earthenware, andthe whole are bound into a comparatively rigid mass by concrete orcement. The concrete or cement may be filled into the trough-like side'of each length of iron or steel beiore'it is placed in position.

In walls and partitions the iron or steel.

lengths are placed in a vertical, in iioors in a horizontal, and inroofs in an angular, position. Where great vstrength is required two ofthe said iron or steel lengths are placed back to back and boltedtogether, so as to form a girder, hollow earthenware, with apertures myinvention, the same having thirty-feet bearings between walls, columnstwenty feet from center to center, and being suitable for warehouses,malthouses, breweries, factories, and other large buildings in whichheavy weights have to be carried.

Like letters denote the same parts in ally these views. v

a are sheet-metal joists or ditches, placed back to back, and securedtogether by bolts and nuts b c, .hollow tire-clay or earthenware cores,through which the bolts b are passed, and forming, with a compositegirder, d, hollow fire-clay or earthenware tubes. (Here shown witharched tops and vertical strengthening-Webs e.)

The tubes d are here placed end to end. If preferred, they can be formedwith sockets. When placed in position, as shown in Fig. 3, concrete(marked f) is iilled in from the top, a temporary plank or frame beingused to prevent it from extending beyond the ceiling-level. Plaster,marked g, is afterward added in any ordinary manner, the surfaces of theparts forming the skeleton frame being roughened, ground, or perforatedin such manner that the concrete and plaster, or either of them, are oris well keyed. h, supporting metal girder, protected by the horizontaland vertical earthenware tubes t', embedded in concrete j, the

said horizontal protecting-'tubes being suspended from the lower flangeof the girder by metal carrying pieces and rods 7c, and the verticaltubes supported over them; 1, metal column carrying girder h. The baseof the column is marked I1 and thecapital l2. m are protecting lire clayor earthenware pipes, placed around l, and embedded in concrete n.

It' desired, openings can be left in the ceilings or floors incommunication with the spaces in the earthenware tubes employed in thefloor,

and in like manner the tubes surrounding the columns can be formed withapertures, either of the said tubes being in communication with 4avertical discharge-shaft in the walls or elsewhere. Efficientventilation ot' the rooms or inclosed spaces is thereby insured.

When necessary hot or coldlair canbe forced or drawn through thebefore-described earthenware tubes, and admitted to rooms or spaces atpleasure.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section, Fig. 8 a 1ongitudinal section, and Fig.9 a skeleton-plan, all of iooring suitable for light warehouses,assembly-rooms, and public halls, rolled transverse girders being usedevery fifteen feet.

Like letters indicate the same parts in these views. i

a, metal joists 5 b, bolts 5 c, earthen ware cores 5 d, earthenwaretubes, with vertical strengtlieningwebs c; f, concrete; g, plaster; h,rolled-metal girder; t', tiles.

Fig. 1() is a transverse section, and Fig. l1 a longitudinal section,ioa iloor suitable for dwelling houses, oflices, and places where fromsixteen to eighteen t'eet bearings are used without transverse girders.Here a are the metal joists 5 b, tiebolts 5 c, earthenware cores 5 d,earthenware tubes with webs e; f, concrete; g, plaster 5 fi,flooring-boards resting on fillets j. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section,and Fig. 13 a vertical section, ot' a light tire-prooi' partition, moreespecially adapted for dwelling-houses.

.a,metalnprights5 ntie-bolts; c,metal wires,

secured by clips to uprights a. Woven-wire fencing answers well. j',concrete between the uprights; g, plaster over the wire c', the meshesof the wires serving as a key for the plaster; i, metal tieband, forfoot and head of partition. 5

Fig. 14 is a transverse section, Fig. 15 a longitudinal section, andFig. 16 a skeleton plan, all of a light flat roof or door under myinvention, the same being suitable up to twelve-feet bearings withouttransverse girders. a, metal joists. formed of angular metal pieces,bolted together by bolts and nuts 5 c,

earthenware cores; d, earthenware tubes with webs c; f, concrete 5 g,plaster. In this modification the sheet-1netal joists are bent outwardtoward their bases, and so serve more eft'ectually' to retain theconcrete during construction, while they form skewbacks for the sidesot' the arched tubes d.

Fig. 17 is a horizontal section, and Fig. 18 a skeleton clevationofwalls constructed in accordance withfrny invention. These walls aresuitable for dwelling-houses, more particularly in warm climates.` Here,a arc metal uprights; b, tie-bolts5 c, earthenware cores; d, earthenwarevertical4 tubes, roughened on both sides, and formed with transversewebs c; f, concrete; g,plastcr. The metal upright forming the angle-tiemust be formed with apertures or keying spaces to bold the concrete. Inpractice I prefer to ll the said anglepiece with concrete. The metaluprights are shown deeply embedded in a footing ot' concrete. Theearthenware cores and tubes are also embedded, but not so deeply, in thesaid footing.

After erecting the metal uprights and earthenware cores and tubes, theconcrete and plaster can be laid on by hand, and hence the use of heavyframe-work is dispensed with. Doors and Windows are formed by omittingportions ot' the uprights, and leaving `spaces to receive the frames,which latter are properly bedded in concrete.

Fig. 19 is a vertical section, showing the junction of wall and roof atthe eaves; Fiff. 20, a skeleton plan; Fig. 21, a vertical section,

showing method ot' securing purlin to -rafter 5 and Fig. 22 a verticalsection at ridge, all ot' a niodication of a sloping lire-proof root'suit-` able for buildings generally, and more particularly for railwayand other sheds. Like letters here indicate equivalent parts in both theroof and wall. a, metal Hitches. is best seen in Fig. 20. b, tie bolts 5@,earthenware tubes, extending transversely from ct vjoists a and coresc, the interposed tubes d and concrete filling, substantially as setforth.' 3. The combination ot' girder l1., earthen-` ware tubes i',concrete j, and carriers la, substantially as set forth. i i

4. The combination of column l, surrounding earthenware tubes m andconcrete a, sub-` stantially as set forth.

5. The U-shaped pieces a., connected back to back by bolts b, incombination with wirework c, secured to the flanges of the pieces a,substantially as set forth. f

6. The U-shaped pieces a, connectedback toback by bolts b, incombination with hollow tubes c, interposed between the pieces a andconcrete tillin g, substantially as setforth, with reference to Figs.26-29.

LEWIS HORNBLOWER.

Witnesses l A M. E. BIRKETT, das. JOHNSON.

The form

